Proverbs 2

Proverbs 2

2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,

3 and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure

You use your ear, and cry with your mouth and search for it like silver. Silver is hidden in the mines, and is found little by little and not all together. Wisdom is gained little by little.

With wisdom, you have a totally different approach to fearing God.

We did talk about the "personification" of Wisdom as a female and if it was a Hebrew language way in which it is written. Some languages tend to have different grammatical structure in referring to different things.


11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.

What is discerning? Discerning is to distinguish between good and evil and we use wisdom to make such choices.

v16-22 talks about the wicked woman, and we did talk about how Solomon had many wives and how he didn't have the one convenant relationship based marriage.

Solomon had multiple wives, and could have married these women to expand his empire. But his wives worshipped strange Gods, and he fell in the end

However we also talked about how this passage could refer to the covenant relationship that we have with God and anything that comes between you and God in that relationship could be an adultress.

21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;

22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.


We did talk about how the unfaithful but rich are accumulating more land these days and are totally away from God.

Proverbs 1

We just started studying the book of Proverbs in our small group at the Freshwaters. Though I've read Proverbs so many times, I've been learning it in a whole new way.
I will be summarizing the things that we discuss each week.

Proverbs 1

2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;

3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;

4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-

Proverbs are both for those who are already wise and want to add to their learning and also for those who don't have the wisdom yet. I can see it being referred as to both for teaching to others and for one's life


v9 - They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
We discussed about what garland and chain could signify in this verse

We talked about the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom. Knowledge is more about theoretical information in the head, and wisdom is what is applied and more from a practical point coming from the heart

v22 - How long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways?

The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs generally denotes one without moral direction and inclined to evil.

v23 -If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.

v28 - Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me


We are being given a chance, and in the end it might get too late.

Salt of the Earth

The Lord calls His followers to be the "salt of the earth."

1. Flavoring. We are to focus on those who don't know Jesus as Savior. After all, salt doesn't bring change to itself; it seasons that which needs improved flavor. Christlike character opens the way for others to hear our message.

2.Preservative. Salt's effect is to keep meat from going bad. In the case of people, our lives are to demonstrate an alternative to the world's ways and point them to Jesus.

3.Impact. Changes caused by salt may be invisible, but they are nevertheless evident. A timely word or act of kindness can speak volumes to someone searching for God. We can be an effective witness to people around us wherever we are-restaurants, grocery lines, doctors' offices, etc.

4. Causing thirst. By facing difficulties with calmness, endurance, and hope, we give a godly testimony. When people who are going through hardship and pain see the way we deal with our troubles, they will thirst to know how we do it. Do the people around you sense something special about you and thirst to know what it is?

Salt
In the first century it was hard to find anything more important to living than salt. Indeed, salt was so valuable you could even buy stuff with salt.

In a hot, dry desert world where there was no refrigeration, no ice, and no airtight packaging, salt was considered a necessity of life. Salt kept things from going bad. Salt kept things from spoiling. It was a preservative, a purifier, it added taste, it cleansed wounds, it killed germs, it promoted healing.

Everybody that day on the mountain understood what Jesus meant when he said to his disciples “You are the salt of the earth” (Mt 5:13). He was referring to that which was essential for the world, necessary for the world, absolutely irreplaceable for the world. He was referring to the “element” that would preserve the world from decay, literally the very ingredient that would save the world.

Its only a quarter

Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after
he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the
downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had
accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the
quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, "Oh,
forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little
amount? Anyway the bus company already gets too much fare; they will
never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed
the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."
The driver with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town?
I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just
wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."
When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest
light pole, and held on, and said, "O God, I almost sold your Son for a
quarter."
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

Dancing with God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.

When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.

And I Hope You Dance

You are who you are

Below is Russell Kelfer's poem abt Gods Purpose in our lives! Its one of my favorite and I wanted to share it with you all. This Poem has been such a source of encouragement to me, and I would like to remind each one of you tht each one of you are precious in his sight, and that he who created you, loves you unconditionally and his love is unfailing at all times :)


You are who you are for a reason.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You’re just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind,
And they bear the Master's seal.

No, the trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into his likeness you'd grow.

You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!

What if you treat your BIBLE like you treat your Mobile Phone?

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our Mobile phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it as we traveled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?

This is something to make you go...hmmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

God's Embroidery

When I was a little girl, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was, the underside. I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand.
She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My daughter, you go about your playing for a while, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side."

I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view.

A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice say, "Daughter, come and sit on my knee."
This I did, only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, "My child, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."
Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?"
He has answered, "I am embroidering your life."
I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?"
The Father seems to tell me, "My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."

Undefeated

Defeat comes from looking back.

Distraction comes from looking around.

Discouragement comes from looking down
Deliverance comes from looking up.

So, Look over your shoulder to realize how far you have come. Nothing you have done has been a waste of time. Don't measure your success by what others have accomplished.

Your endurance, integrity, faith, love and willingness to grow, is what makes you successful. Even though you have come close to the edge of giving up and believing that you cant succeed, you are still here.

God is Like...

A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God.
Here are some of the results: scroll down.

God is like..
BAYER ASPIRIN !
He works miracles.

God is like...
a FORD
He's got a better idea.

God is like...
COKE
He's the real thing.

(This is great)

God is like...
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like...
TIDE
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

God is like...
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.

God is like...
SEARS
He has everything.

God is like...
ALKA-SELTZER
Try him, you'll like Him

God is like...
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see him, but you know He's there.

God is like...
DELTA
He's ready when you are.

God is like...
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.

God is like...
VO-5 Hair Spray
He holds through all kinds of weather.

God is like...
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don'! t you wish everybody did?

(that one is my favorite)

God is like...
the U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.